Deon Anthony, a junior from Troy University, has been selected as this week's Manning Award Player of the Week. Anthony earns the win over seven other Manning Award Stars of the Week in the Allstate Sugar Bowl's Facebook contest.

Anthony, a New Iberia, La., native making his first career start, completed 29-of-41 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns in Troy's dramatic 38-37 victory over FIU. He also rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. Anthony's rushing total was the most by a Troy quarterback since Bob Godsey rushed for 122 yards against Tennessee-Martin in 1997. Anthony accounted for all five of Troy's touchdowns in the game.

The Trojans rallied from down 16 points in the second half to defeat FIU; it was the largest second half comeback by a Troy team since a 17-point rally at Central Florida in 1995.

Behind Anthony in this week's Manning Award contest were Kolton Browning of the University of Louisiana-Monroe and Georgia's Aaron Murray. Browning (22-of-41, 308 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INT) helped the Warhawks erase a 21-point deficit in a game for first-place in the Sun Belt, capping his day with his second rushing touchdown and then tossing the two-point conversion in overtime of a 43-42 win over Western Kentucky. Murray completed 30-of-38 passes for 427 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions becoming Georgia's all-time leader in touchdown passes. He played a critical role in the Bulldogs' holding off of tenacious Kentucky, 29-24.

The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in 2004 to honor the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting.

The honor will be recognizing its eighth winner this year. USC's Matt Leinart was the inaugural winner of the award in 2005, followed by Texas' Vince Young in 2006. Both went on to be top 10 NFL draft picks. In 2007, LSU's JaMarcus Russell earned the award and was the NFL's No. 1 draft pick. Boston College's Matt Ryan claimed the award in 2008 and was drafted No. 3, quickly becoming the starting uarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. In 2009, Florida star Tim Tebow earned the honor - he also went on to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. The 2010 winner was Texas signal-caller Colt McCoy, the winningest quarterback in college football history, who was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the draft. Auburn's Cameron Newton earn the award in 2011, prior to being selected No. 1 overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. This past season's honoree was Robert Griffin, III, from Baylor, who was also a top NFL draft pick (No. 2 overall by the Washington Redskins).